


Exceptions

by CirrusGrey



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Magic Revealed, Short, lets go with, short and to the point, wow theres a lot of variations of the 'arthur finds out about merlins magic' tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-19 14:13:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17003172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CirrusGrey/pseuds/CirrusGrey
Summary: There are certain rules Arthur must follow.





	Exceptions

As crown prince and a knight of Camelot, Arthur lives by a strict code of conduct. There are rules for how he behaves and the sort of behavior he expects from those around him. No exceptions.

He would never allow one of his subjects to insult him. It is a sign of weakness and erodes the respect he commands from those he will one day rule.

(Except when Merlin, exasperated after another day of running errands and cleaning up after the prince, calls him a useless prat who couldn't function on his own, and Arthur just laughs and tells him that's why he's got Merlin.)

He would never excuse a servant failing to complete their duties. The castle is a bustling network of activity and responsibility, and it only runs properly if everyone does their job.

(Except Merlin had been awake all night helping Gaius with the fever patients, hadn't he? And the armor could be polished tomorrow. The hinges of the door creak if you close it too fast, so Arthur backs out of the room slowly, drawing it shut an inch at a time, and lets Merlin sleep.)

He would never forgo his own duties for the sake of a single person, especially if there's nothing he can do to actually help them. He is the crown prince, and he must dedicate himself entirely to the kingdom.

(Except he's already proven he can't function without Merlin, hasn't he? No one can blame Arthur for not being able to complete his duties when his room hasn't been cleaned in a week. And when the fever finally breaks and Merlin opens his eyes to realize Arthur has been by his side throughout, the smile he gives means Arthur would choose him again a hundred times over.)

He would never call a man beautiful. That is a term reserved for the elegant ladies of the court, for fine pieces of artwork, for sunsets and forests and mountains and rivers. Men are handsome, and even that is only noted in the context of who is drawing the eyes of the ladies at court. Men can be strong, and skillful, and loyal, and brave. Never beautiful.

(Except when, riding in the forest, a shaft of sunlight catches on Merlin's hair. His face, filled with wonder and joy at the sight of the first spring flowers; the delicate line of his neck and the angle of his collarbone where he's _finally_ taken off that gods-be-damned scarf; the loose way his fingers clasp the reins, curling round the leather in a grip that would surely give way and get him thrown if the horse were to bolt - but that does not matter, for the day is peace and calm and perfection and the horses feel it too, docile in this frozen moment. And if Arthur's breath catches and his heart skips a beat, what of it? This,  _t_ _his_ is beauty.)

He would never tolerate a sorcerer to live. Magic is a plague on Camelot, an evil that must be hunted down and eradicated. Never mind that the magic was to save Arthur's life, never mind that the sorcerer is on his knees in front of him, openly weeping, begging not for his own life but for forgiveness from the one he lied to. He would never drop to his own knees, sweep the sorcerer into his arms, and tell him there is nothing to forgive, no transgressions to excuse. Never hold him as he shakes, whispering words of reassurance, promises of protection against the king, the court, the entire world. Never wipe the tears from his face, still holding him close. Never lean in the extra few inches, finally succumbing to the desire to kiss him. Never be kissed back with wild abandon, salty tears lingering between them, unspoken words of longing and heartache resolved in a single moment.

(But then, Merlin has always been his exception.)


End file.
